1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to methods and devices for applying solder to workpieces and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for interconnecting electronic parts requiring the mating of dissimilar package footprints.
2. Background
The evolution of certain component parts employed in the manufacture of electronic assemblies is sometimes more rapid than the evolution of the printed circuit board (PCB) designs. For example if a surface mount component is upgraded from a quad flat pack (QFP) package format to a ball grid array (BGA) format it becomes necessary to redesign an entire PCB. The costs associated with the redesign of an entire PCB may be prohibitive, particularly in applications or manufactured devices having low count runs. Additionally, time may be lost and profits foregone while PCBs are redesigned and retooled to accommodate the evolution of a single component part. Additionally, if there is a large installed user base, it can make field upgrades cost prohibitive.
Potential solutions to this problem may include the use of surface mount socketing devices or the direct attachment of component parts having new or evolved configurations by traditional means of surface mounting and/or manual soldering methods. Others may attach fragile leadframes to the PCB to provide the interconnect method. However, these methods are often labor intensive and typically do not provide high yields. Additionally, these solutions may provide a visually unattractive device or they may be fragile and prone to defect.
Components continue, and will continue to be miniaturized and new and smaller package styles will be developed. As new package styles are developed and adopted by the industry, often it becomes harder and harder to purchase components in the older package styles. Sometimes, the older package styles go End Of Life (EOL) and are no longer produced.
This is not only a problem in manufacturing but also applies to repairing product in the field. When an obsolete part fails it is often necessary to simply replace the entire product as it is too expensive to modify in the field to accept an equivalent part.
What is needed is an efficient way to adapt a new part package to fit onto an existing PCB without redesigning the PCB layout.